for ever in your debt

For ever in your debt. As a style of manners it has value. As a lifestyle choice I'm not so sure. I spent a moment or two over Christmas considering my own values. Of course I gave presents to my family. I like to think I even thought about them in terms of what the recipient would appreciate and enjoy. However, unlike previous years I refused to go beyond my means this time around. I'm almost done climbing out from under a pile of debt accumulated over several years and I have no plan to go back there. Now, even a simple thing like running up the credit card a bit to buy "better" presents makes me nervous. I read of people living from paycheck to paycheck, which I have done for a long time. Then I remember living from next month's paychecks to the month afters's. I don't want to go back there again. Maybe things will get better but I intend to make sure I don't make my own life any worse then it has to be.